Ballachurry Reserve, Rushen, IOM.: June 2017

Friday 23 June 2017

The Big Ballachurry Birthday Bash!

Happy Birthday Ballachurry Reserve!
Stan Clucas cuts the cake

What better day to celebrate Ballachurry Reserve's 10th Birthday than Mid-Summer's Day - 21st June, 2017! This week also marked the first anniversary of the Reserve being handed over to the Manx Wildlife Trust.

Our celebratory event started with a bug hunt round the Reserve led by Manx Wildlife Trust's Education Officer, Dawn Dickens, ably assisted by Andree Dubbeldam who showed great prowess with a sweep net! The children quickly got the idea and filled a variety of pots and pooters with all sorts of booty - moths, beetles, flies and ladybirds. My own attempt with a sweep net yielded a solitary Capsid Bug!

After one circuit of the Reserve about 30 or so people gathered at "Ginnie's Bench" where valiant attempts were made to light the ten candles on Ballachurry's Birthday Cake. Margaret Kelly thanked Stan Clucas for his vision in turning an arable field into an amazing reserve and for entrusting its welfare and management to the Manx Wildlife Trust. As Guest of Honour, Stan was invited to cut the cake and we all sang "Happy Birthday"!

We mingled and chatted in the sunshine, enjoying our cake and fizzy drinks, before beginning the second part of the evening. This time it was Andree, Wildflowers of Man Project Leader, who led us round the Reserve. He showed us photos of the early days of the Reserve, outlining the work done initially to make the ponds and plant the trees. He then showed us a diagram detailing how the area would evolve in the fullness of time if not managed specifically for particular kinds of wildlife. It was good to hear that we were already seeing Biodiversity at its best and would not have to wait for the end of the 99 year lease before the wildlife moved in! Indeed much work lies ahead for the Southern Group Volunteers if we are to retain and encourage many species. The key to success lies in the management of the reserve, allowing some areas to progress naturally whilst maintaining others almost in a state of arrested development. We paused at the hide to note that Cat's-ear had already colonised our new turf roof and keen eyes spotted a frog hopping about close to the path. With only ten minutes or so left until the planned end to the event the sky darkened, the thunder rumbled (or was it a celebratory drum roll perhaps?) and the heavens opened. Andree's laminated sheets came in handy as improvised rainwear, hoods went up and umbrellas came out in the mad dash back to the Notice Board where it obligingly stopped raining so that Margaret could thank, on everyone's behalf, both Dawn and Andree for a fascinating evening.

We are also very grateful to everyone who made a donation to the Trust during this event and to those who have given their names/ emails to Janet, our Secretary ,with a view to perhaps helping with future working parties and events.

A good time was had by all!

starting to gather at the Notice board

7-spot Laybird under close examination

A Carpet Moth and Chrysomelid beetle

Silver-ground Carpet Moth

7spot Ladybird feasting on thistle aphids

Capsid bug escaping from sweep net

Red Admiral

Ladybird pupa

Cassida family beetle larva

It has covered itself in frass ( that's poo to you and me!)
to assist camouflage

The Ballachurry Birthady Cake

Attempting to light the ten candles

Speech time

Stan Clucas cuts the cake

Guests enjoy some cake and fizzy drinks

queuing for cake

happy guests

note the umbrella!

more guests

Sisters Anne and Merle who funded the bird hide
and recent repairs

Andree begins his tour

Andree explaining how things will change in the future

our turf roof is flowering! ( Cat's-ear)

sudden downpour

some came prepared

Thundery sky

Small list of noted wildlife:

Silver-ground Carpet Moths SC 210694 and SC209693

Red Admiral Butterfly SC209693

Chrysomelid beetle SC209693

Common Mouse ear in flower SC209693

Creeping tormentil in flower SC209693

Oval Sedge flowering at SC209693 and SC209 694

Common Frog SC209694

Possible Triple Lines Moth ( unfortunately dead) Sc209694

Numerous 7-spot Ladybirds SC210694, SC209694 and SC208694

Tortoise Beetle larvae of Cassida family SC208694

Capsid bug SC209694

Cat's-ear in flower on hide roof SC209694

All bugs etc. returned unharmed to where found.

Many thanks to the Southern Group Committee, especially Margaret, for organising this event so successfully.

P.S. Apologies for lack of photo of Dawn Dickens,who was always well hidden in the undergrowth among her junior fans!

Monday 19 June 2017

Ballachurry Reserve, 19th June, 2017.

Willows and firs seen from near bird hide

Today dawned very hot and sunny without a breath of wind. "Great day for butterflies" I thought, "I'll go to Ballachurry this afternoon". So I went, but of course by afternoon there was a strong north-westerly wind blowing and butterflies don't really like wind! However, I did see a few including a Meadow Brown, the first I've seen this year anywhere. The Reserve is also awash with 7-spot Ladybirds. Their pale orange colour tells me they are freshly emerged from their pupae. They will redden up over the next few days, no doubt. Here's today's report:

Birds:

SC209694 ( Ginnie's Bench area) Great tits heard "keeping in touch" but not seen.
SC209693 ( parallel to road) Willow Warbler heard but not seen
SC209694 ( from hide) female Mallard + 9 ducklings
SC208694 ( compost area) Chiffchaff heard but not seen; female Chaffinch; Willow Warbler heard but not seen.
SC208695 ( old beehive loop) Chaffinch
SC209694 ( gorse boundary) 2 x Goldfinch; Great Tits heard "keeping in touch".

Ladybirds:

SC210694 ( near entrance) 7-spot Ladybird + 3 x 7-spot Pupae + 1 possible Harlequin pupa
SC209694 ( Ginnie's bench area) 7-spot Ladybird
SC209694 ( near Hide ) 7-spot Ladybird x 6 in Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil
SC208694 ( near dam) 7-spot Ladybird x 3 ( including one feasting on black thistle aphids)
SC208694 ( near boardwalk) 7-spot Ladybird x 5 on thistles

Total: 16 x 7-spot Ladybirds

Butterflies:

SC209694 ( near hide) Speckled Wood
SC208694 ( near compost area) Speckled Wood
SC208695 ( beehive loop) 2 x Red Admirals having territorial dispute; Speckled Wood. Meadow Brown.
SC209694 ( gorse boundary) Unidentified White flying.
SC209694 ( Ginnie's bench area) Unidentified White flying

Caterpillars:

SC210694 ( entrance) I could only see one Orange Tip Caterpillar today. Either they have gone away to pupate or have eaten each other!
SC209694 Still one or two Depressaria daucella moth caterpillars on Hemlock Water Dropwort but many have pupated e.g. SC209693

Other:

SC209693 ( parallel to road) Common Blue Damselfly
SC208694 ( near compost area) Common Blue Damselfly
SC209693 ( parallel to road) Black & white Hoverfly
SC209694 (path junction) a different black & white Hoverfly.
SC210694 ( noticeboard) Hoverfly on ox-eye daisies.
SC209695 ( near Private entrance) Gorse Shieldbug
SC208694 ( near dam) first Meadowsweet in flower
SC208694 ( near boardwalk) tiny orange beetle near one of the 7-spot Ladybirds
SC209694 ( Ginnie's bench area) and elsewhere, some nettles have distorted orange stems -caused by Nettle Clustercup Fungus ( Puccinia urticata)
SC209693 ( parallel to road) area of sedges flowering that I haven't noted before.
SC210694 ( entrance) mating pair of Tephritis bardanae + 3 singletons
SC208694 and elsewhere - black aphids on thistles
SC209694 (near hide) Hawthorn berries ripening
SC209694 ( wild flower area near hide) unidentified spider behind buttercup - looks like a crab spider?